整形
Meaning: Plastic surgery or cosmetic procedure; altering one's appearance through medical intervention.
整形 refers to cosmetic plastic surgery and is a widely discussed topic in Japanese beauty culture. While historically somewhat taboo in Japan compared to South Korea, attitudes have shifted significantly among younger generations. Common procedures discussed include double eyelid surgery (二重整形), nose jobs, and facial contouring. The term is used both neutrally and judgmentally depending on context. On social media, openly discussing 整形 has become more normalised.
Examples
- 韓国で整形するのが安いって聞いたけど本当? 听说去韩国做整形比较便宜,是真的吗?He oído que operarse en Corea sale más barato, ¿es verdad?한국에서 성형하는 게 싸다고 들었는데 진짜야?
- 整形したっていいじゃん、本人が幸せなら。 做整形有什么不好的,只要本人开心就行。¿Qué tiene de malo operarse? Si la persona es feliz, estupendo.성형해도 되잖아, 본인이 행복하면.
- あの芸能人、整形してるかしてないかで毎回論争になるよね。 那个艺人到底有没有整过形,每次都会引发争论。Con ese famoso siempre acaban discutiendo sobre si se ha operado o no, ¿verdad?저 연예인, 성형했는지 안 했는지로 매번 논쟁이 되잖아.
Pronunciation
/seː.keː/
Usage Guide
Context: beauty, social media, news, casual conversation
Tone: neutral to sensitive, depends on context
✓ Do Say
- 整形する人増えてきたよね、時代だなぁ。 (More people are getting cosmetic surgery these days — it's the times.)做整形的人越来越多了呢,时代变了啊。(More people are getting cosmetic surgery these days — it's the times.)Cada vez hay más gente que se opera, son los tiempos que corren. (More people are getting cosmetic surgery these days — it's the times.)성형하는 사람이 늘었지, 시대가 변한 거야. (整形하는 사람이 많아졌네, 시대의 흐름이야.)
- 二重整形って今めっちゃ手軽にできるらしいよ。 (Apparently double eyelid surgery is really easy to get done now.)听说现在做双眼皮手术特别简单方便了。(Apparently double eyelid surgery is really easy to get done now.)Al parecer, la operación de doble párpado ahora se hace con muchísima facilidad. (Apparently double eyelid surgery is really easy to get done now.)쌍꺼풀 수술이 요즘 엄청 간편하게 할 수 있대. (二重整形이 지금은 정말 가볍게 할 수 있대.)
✗ Don't Say
- 「整形でしょ?」と本人に聞くのは絶対NG (Asking someone 'Did you get surgery?' directly is absolutely not okay)直接问别人「你是不是整过?」绝对不行Preguntar directamente a alguien «¿te has operado?» es absolutamente inaceptable (Asking someone 'Did you get surgery?' directly is absolutely not okay)「성형이지?」라고 본인에게 묻는 건 절대 안 된다
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 整形 (cosmetic/plastic surgery) with 整形外科 (orthopedic surgery) — in medical contexts they are different
Origin & History
From 整 (to arrange/align) + 形 (shape/form). Originally a neutral medical term for orthopedic/reconstructive surgery, it narrowed in popular usage to specifically mean cosmetic surgery. The term has been used in this sense since the postwar era.
Cultural Context
Era: Postwar era medical term, modern slang usage from 2000s
Generation: All ages, increasingly normalised among younger generations
Social background: Universal topic of discussion
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Attitudes toward 整形 vary by generation — younger people are more accepting. South Korean influence has normalised discussion.
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